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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22443181">Guardian Sides AU Fanfiction (Creative, I know)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jdkwinxgrl/pseuds/Jdkwinxgrl'>Jdkwinxgrl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Angst, Christianity, Friendship, Homophobia, Humour or at least my attempt at being funny sometimes, Hurt/Comfort, I explain all the necessary christian stuff it's ok, I wanna tag slow burn but ive never written slow burn before, M/M, Never thought I'd be tagging it but here I am, Parental Guardians, Patton is trying his best, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, The Roman Catholic Church, moral conundrums, so maybe it's slow burn idk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 12:34:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,464</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22443181</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jdkwinxgrl/pseuds/Jdkwinxgrl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In this alternate universe, the sides are “imaginary friends” that have crossed over from the mindscape and into the real world. They are now his guardians, providing support, driving him to school, and making his meals.</p><p>For all of his life, Thomas thought he liked girls. Simple, easy, heteronormative. Then, he meets this boy and starts questioning his sexuality. On the side, his youth pastor has started talking about relationships at Church and Thomas doesn’t know how to cope with this new discovery and the beliefs of his faith.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders &amp; Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Joan Stokes &amp; Thomas Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders &amp; Thomas Sanders, Morality | Patton Sanders &amp; Thomas Sanders, Thomas Sanders &amp; The Sides</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Guardian Sides AU Fanfiction (Creative, I know)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/554440">Ask Guardian Sides AU</a> by @aimasup.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>bc Im roman catholic Thomas is also roman catholic here ok im projecting a tiny bit…. Also roman. This takes place in the 2000s. You don't necessarily need to read the original AU to get it, but the original AU is pretty fun, so,,</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When it came to Sunday, Thomas still loved going to Church. He’d get on his fancier clothing and all of the sides would dress appropriately. It was the day of all days, good ol’ Sunday.</p><p>Due to some arguing, they’d always make it there right as it began and would have to squeeze into one of the back pews in order to fit all of them. Roman enjoyed Church because he could sing all of the hymns perfectly and he couldn’t resist the opportunity to show up the whole choir. Logan didn’t seem to participate with the same vigor as the rest of the sides did. He’d always cross his arms over his chest when they went up to receive the host. (Thomas never went for the wine, but he always got a small piece of bread). He would ask Logan, and Logan would always answer differently.</p><p>
  <em>“I need to be supportive,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“The best information is obtained directly from the source,”</em>
</p><p>“<em>I enjoy participating in group engagements with you, that’s all,”</em></p><p>Thomas knew Logan wasn’t the most keen on practicing, but he didn’t outright think Logan was an atheist. Probably agnostic. All of his guardians were from his imagination, and he was a firm believer in it.</p><p>Patton, however, undeniably, loved going to mass. While his own parents had been pretty laid back when it came to practice, Patton made an effort to get everyone out the door on Sundays. Even when Virgil came, - on the very rare occasion, seeing as any social outing made him feel anxious - Patton would make sure to guide Virgil through the proper responses and when to stand up so, as Virgil put it, would “not look like some doofus”.</p><p>Church was boring and interesting to Thomas. The parts of mass with long talking and sometimes standing were not interesting. As a kid he liked Sunday School; painting pictures and seeing the pretty lady read picture books out loud about Bible stories. He’d grown up out of that and met with a much smaller youth group during mass, now. It was in a separate room with a few couches and a nice window overlooking the forest behind the Church.</p><p>The early thirties youth pastor was pretty chill, Ethan had so many tattoos and piercings. (Thomas’ favourite tattoo was the one of a dragon on his inner left arm). He never looked sluggish, still dressing and cleaning up appropriately. Holding his journal filled with sticky notes, he cleared his throat to start the meeting.</p><p>“So, I was thinking today we could talk about loving your neighbour and how that term has evolved in this current day and age.” Ethan said. The two cousins, Matt and Katelyn slouched in their seats. Matt was 15 while Katelyn was almost there in years.</p><p>“It’s the golden rule, right? Treat others how you want to be treated.” Katelyn answered, moving a hand through her light brown hair.</p><p>“Yeah, I was thinking of examining the Good Samaritan and contextualizing it to this day and age. Just to make sure everyone’s on the same page, does anyone want to volunteer to explain the parable?” Ethan asked. He leaned forward in his chair and scanned the few teens sitting there. He saw a hand go up. “Catherine, yes lovely cat loving Catherine.”</p><p>“Okay, um, there this dude who’s Jewish and he’s trying to get to this place. Then BAM! There’s these robbers that come in and beat him up and take all of his stuff. He’s lyin’ there on the side of the side of the road and a priest walks past him, he reasons that he’s got other stuff to do so like yeah he ignores the beaten dude. Then there’s this other Jewish dude that comes along, but he ignores him too, like what?? And then there’s this Samaritan, and wait, I forgot to say something earlier – Samaritans and Jewish people hate each other - but like, this guy, the Samaritan dude actually stops to help him! He gets him cleaned and healed in a local hotel or whatever, and the Jewish man is super confused, and yeah.” Catherine explains.</p><p>Thomas blinks.</p><p>“Uh, thank you, you did a wonderful job.” Ethan said, trying to be supportive. Catherine beamed back at him, oblivious to the stares of her companions. She had a tendency to ramble on about certain things. Her Imaginary Cat, Mittens, purred in her lap.</p><p>“First, I would like people to share stories of times in their life they’ve witnessed something similar to the good Samaritan.” Ethan explained. “For example, my aunt and mother in law did not get along while I was growing up, but after my aunt broke her arm, my mother in law visited her in the hospital and eventually they became friends.”</p><p>Thomas thought for a moment. Currently he was drawing blanks on any scenario this would be applicable to.</p><p>“Thomas, do you have any stories you’d like to share?” Ethan prompted. Thomas stirred from his thoughts and stuttered. Everyone was now staring at him.</p><p>“Um, uh, I don’t know, really?” Thomas said honestly. He felt a bit dumb right now.</p><p>“That’s cool. We’ll go around the circle and come back to you. Try to think of something while listening to the other stories.” Ethan smiled. Thomas breathed a small sigh of relief when the attention shifted from him.</p><p>“Okay, okay, I’ve thought of something. I used to hate feral guardians a lot but like now there’s this one guy who has totally reformed and rehabilitated and we’re totally cool now, so yeah.” Catherine said.</p><p>“Didn’t you get your leg taken off by a feral guardian?” Matt spoke up, directing the attention over to Ethan. Ethan stiffened in his seat and tightened his fingers around the edges of the book in his hands. Thomas’ eyes darted to the walking stick that Ethan carried that had found purchase on the armrest.</p><p>Everyone was acutely aware of feral guardians and the damage they could do. If a guardian experienced prolonged traumatic stress such as non consensual touching, random abandonment or abuse they could ‘break’ so to speak. They would go crazy, sometimes turning into monstrous beasts that could only be calmed down after an effort was made. Thomas didn’t like to think about when it happened to Virgil. And what Virgil did to other people like Ethan.</p><p>“Ah yes, but that guardian has long since rehabilitated as well. I’m glad you brought up guardians, since to some people these entities are foreign and strange as a Samaritan is to a Jew. I’ve made my peace, yet there are others that cling to that hatred. Perhaps some deserve to feel that way.” Ethan explained. Thomas scrunched his eyebrows together.</p><p>“But didn’t you just say that they shouldn’t be hated?” Thomas asked.</p><p>“Not exactly. Think of it this way: there is worse damage that a feral guardian can do to someone than taking their limb. There’s the actual child, of course, then there’s the family and friends who are touched by such horrible events. I’m suggesting it is healthy to regard some of them with caution, even if we have forgiven them. We are called to forgive, but that doesn’t mean guardians or people, for that matter, can change, Thomas.” Ethan reasoned.</p><p>Thomas didn’t know what to say. Ethan was right, he supposed. He couldn’t really listen to all of the other kids sharing, too lost in thought.</p><p>Ethan looked down at his watch and his eyebrows shot up. With one swift movement, he closed his journal.</p><p>“Well, it looks like that’s all the time we have today. Around now they should be finishing up, so you can all rejoin your families.” Ethan said with a wide open smile. He pushed his glasses up closer to his eyes and placed the journal down on the side table before readying his cane. With one staggering movement he made it on his two feet and limped his way over to hold open the door for the teens.</p><p>Thomas knew he shouldn’t offer help to his youth pastor. He didn’t want to understate his human dignity by giving a hand.</p><p>“Thank you sooooooo much!” Catherine said, strolling out the door with her cat hooked on her arm. Thomas followed behind her.</p><p>“Youuu’reee welcome!” Ethan laughed.</p><p>“Thanks,” Thomas said with a small nod. Ethan nodded back and continued to smile at the rest of the group.</p><p>When Thomas made his way into the main hall, Mass had already ended. He spotted his guardians filing out with the rest of the adults. Patton smiled immediately when he saw Thomas and the group headed over to him. Roman couldn’t help passing by an imaginary friend that had a bird head that sung in the choir.</p><p>“Oh your voice was lovely today, Simon, yet I couldn’t help but notice you went a little flat on the end of that last hymn there.” Roman said with a smile that was too big to be real. Simon was playing along, however. They’d been keeping up this rivalry for weeks.</p><p>“Really, are you sure? I just haven’t really been paying attention after hearing the sound of you choking on the host during communion today.” Simon returned. The edges of his beak were up to his eyes, smiling in the only way a bird could.</p><p>“That’s something you would think about, wouldn’t you?” Roman’s smile grew impossibly bigger as the mass pamphlet was absolutely crumpled within his fist.</p><p>“Come now, Roman. We are retrieving our coats and leaving this establishment.” Logan said, interjecting and looping his arm around Roman’s to pull him away. Roman and Simon just stared daggers at each other until they broke line of sight.</p><p>Meanwhile, Patton and Thomas were talking near the doors to the main church hall.</p><p>“So, how was the youth group today, kiddo? You stayed a little later than usual.” Patton asked, rubbing Thomas’ hair. Thomas quickly became embarrassed and rushed to fix it back to normal.</p><p>“Um, it was fine. We talked about the Good Samaritan and stuff.” Thomas answered with a shrug.</p><p>“Oh that’s nice! Quite a lovely parable, don’t ya think? I can certainly think of things more un-pearable! Haha!” Patton joked with a harty shake of his shoulders. Thomas gave a small laugh. It was bad.</p><p>Patton looked past Thomas and saw Ethan approaching the door to the Mass hall, one arm grasped around his walking stick and the other holding his journal to his side. Patton moved past Thomas to get the door for him.</p><p>“Let me get you that there, Mr.Picani,” Patton said. Ethan smiled at him and paused for a moment.</p><p>“Why thank you – and you know you can call me Ethan. Mr.Piacani reminds me too much of my brother,” Ethan laughed. Patton tilted his head before sneezing.</p><p>“Bless you - ha, bless,” Ethan snickered, vaguely gesturing to the church building around them.</p><p>“Sorry, uh, Emile, was it? I haven’t seen him at Mass these past few sundays.” Patton noted. Thomas recalled that Emile was a therapist. He was always wearing neat sweaters and Thomas had visited him once of twice after the whole Virgil incident. He was kind.</p><p>Ethan sighed.</p><p>“He’s always busy with those clients of his. I’d much rather find my company here and that of the many books at my job,” Ethan then snapped his fingers, “That reminds me, Thomas,”</p><p>“Yep?” Thomas answered. Patton sneezed again.</p><p>“Bless you. There’s a sale going on at Bookworm’s this week for CDs and such. I thought you’d be interested.” Ethan suggested with a wink. Thomas brightened up.</p><p>“Cool, thanks! I’ll check it out,” Thomas beamed. Ethan smiled back and hobbled forward into the mass hall, Patton closing the door behind him.</p><p>“Ethan’s a nice guy! I’m glad you have such a good youth pastor,” Patton commented. Thomas shrugged.</p><p>“Yeah, I guess I like him,” Thomas said. “I haven’t really had any other youth pastors so I can’t really compare him to anyone.”</p><p>Logan came up to them, Roman trailing behind him. The Prince guardian had his arms crossed.</p><p>“I believe it is best to leave before Roman breaks numerous biblical and legal laws.” Logan said. The group grabbed their coats and exited the building into the church parking lot.</p><p>Once they were in the car and out of the ears of the other churchgoers, Patton immediately questioned Roman.</p><p>“You didn’t do anything to him, right? You know that you’re one of the best singers in the country, nay, the world!” Patton asked, worried. He scratched his eyes which were feeling a little itchy. Roman huffed.</p><p>“I know, and I know he knows it too; he’s just too much of a stubborn crow to admit it,” Roman huffed. Patton scrunched his eyebrows together as he put on his seatbelt.</p><p>“Wait I thought Simon was a thrush, Logan he’s a thrush right?” Patton turned to Logan, who was currently next to him in the driver’s seat. Logan pushed up his glasses to his face.</p><p>“Correct, one of the best songbirds out there,” Logan affirmed.</p><p>“Wow, how can you guys remember these things. I can really only remember what chickadees look like because their calls are kinda annoying.” Thomas said, putting on his seat belt. Roman was also sitting in the back of the car with him. They could only afford one car with their government sponsorship.</p><p>“Oh wait! Are we going to go to HimTortons?” Thomas asked.</p><p>“I don’t know bud, hmm,” Patton answered, pretending to actually consider denying the notion.</p><p>“Please? We didn’t go last week,” Thomas said.</p><p>“It’s really up to Logan, since he’s the one driving,” Patton said with a wide smile on his face. Logan grunted in his seat, fingers perched on the steering wheel. He looked up at Thomas’ face in the rear view mirror and then sighed.</p><p>“I guess one trip wouldn’t hurt,” Logan answered. Everybody else in the car cheered, Logan silently reviewing this month’s budget in his head. “It has to be small,”</p>
<hr/><p>“Ooh! They have a sale today on blueberry muffins!” Patton eagerly pointed out. They were currently in the HimTortons drive through, tortoise themed menu displaying a wide variety of snacks and drinks to pick from. Roman and Thomas were currently singing along to a My Chemical Romance CD playing. Logan turned it down as he approached the speaker.</p><p>“Everyone quiet, please,” Logan asked. Roman and Thomas slumped back as they waited in silence for the speaker. Thomas could hear the sound faintly still playing and mumbled out the words.</p><p>“Hi welcome to HimTortons, what can I get for you?” Came a strangely familiar voice over the speaker. Everyone’s eyes widened and Patton leaned over Logan before he could protest in the driver’s seat to talk through the window.</p><p>“Virgil?!” He asked.</p>
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